Police officers, civilian hurt in Garissa attack

GARISSA, KENYA: At least four people including three police officers were Monday evening seriously wounded in a grenade attack on a police car in Garissa town.

The incident happened as the officers drove in a police car to their places of work.

Witnesses and police said unknown people threw a grenade into the police vehicle as it sped past a crowd along Ngamia road near the local DO’s office.

One of the officers sustained injuries in the head while the second one had chest injuries and a third one had leg injuries, police said. The fourth person was a civilian who was walking past the scene of the incident.

The attack was followed by gunshots that were fired by the attackers who escaped into a crowd, police said.

“There is confusion and the injured officers have been rushed to hospital,” a witness said.

North Eastern Provincial Police Officer Phillip Tuimur said no arrest had been made but police were pursuing the attackers.

Another police officer said the officers who were seriously injured were taken to theatre after the attack.

The incident was the latest in a series that have happened in the area since October 2010 when Kenyan troops crossed to Somalia to hunt Al-Shabaab militants.